Verbs
Action vs. Linking (Tricky One)
The soup tastes delicious.
Is tastes action or linking?
Linking (it connects soup to delicious)
Compound Antecedent
Maria and Elena forgot ___ homework.
their (two people = plural)
He almost finished the test.
What does almost modify?
finished (verb)
Correct The Error
Either the players or the coach are responsible.
Either the players or the coach is responsible.
(Verb agrees with the subject closest to it.)
Non Essential Appositives
My brother Carlos loves basketball.
My brother, Carlos, loves basketball.
(If he has only one brother.)
Linking vs. Action (Context Shift)
The chef tasted the soup.
Is tasted action or linking?
Action (the chef performs the action)
Reflexive or Intensive?
Identify the type of pronoun:
He hurt himself during the game.
Reflexive (necessary for meaning)
Possessive vs. Possessive Noun
Maria’s backpack is in her locker.
Identify the type of:
Maria’s →
her →
Maria’s = Possessive noun
her = Possessive adjective
Conjunctions Detectives
Spot the conjunctions and its type
The puppy ran inside when it started raining, so it was safe and calm.
when → Subordinating
so, and → Coordinating
Series + Compound
Add commas:
I packed clothes shoes snacks and water but I forgot my phone.
I packed clothes, shoes, snacks, and water, but I forgot my phone.
Verb Identification
Identify all verbs and label them:
The students that have been preparing for the competition seem anxious.
have = helping
been = helping
preparing = main verb (action)
seem = linking
Basic Agreement
1. Every student must bring ___ notebook.
(A) their
(B) his or her
2. The team celebrated ___ victory.
(A) their
(B) its
1. his or her (every student = singular)
2. its (team = singular collective noun acting as one unit)
She ran incredibly fast today.
Identify what:
- incredibly modifies
- fast modifies
incredibly → modifies fast
fast → modifies ran
Preposition or Adverb?
In which sentence is the word “inside” acting as an adverb, not as part of a prepositional phrase?
(A) The puppy slept inside the house during the storm.
(B) The puppy ran inside when it started raining.
(C) The puppy hid inside the big box.
(D) The puppy waited inside the garage.
(B) The puppy ran inside when it started raining.
Complex Sentence Paragraph
Add all necessary commas:
Before the concert started we bought popcorn candy and drinks and we waited outside because the doors were closed.
Before the concert started, we bought popcorn, candy, and drinks, and we waited outside because the doors were closed.
Correct ALL verb errors:
She don’t went to practice because she was tired, and her parents understands.
She didn’t go to practice because she was tired, and her parents understood.
Multi-Step Pronoun Fix
Correct all pronoun errors and identify each type:
Me and her made the cake by ourselves.
She and I made the cake by ourselves.
She = subject pronoun
I = subject pronoun
ourselves = reflexive pronoun
(“Me and her” is wrong case for subject position.)
What does the adverbs modify?
1. The extremely cold weather surprised us.
2. She cooks quite elaborately.
1. cold (an adjective)
2. elaborately (an adverb)
Use Conjunctions and Rewrite!
I don’t like math. I don’t like science.
1) Coordinating → I don't like math and science.
2) Correlative → I like neither math nor science.
3) Subordinating → Can't be used
Comma Detectives
Identify the comma errors or the missing commas and rewrite the sentence correctly.
On July, 4, 2022 in Austin, Texas we visited the beautiful historic, downtown market.
On July 4, 2022, in Austin, Texas, we visited the beautiful, historic, crowded downtown market.
The Verb Master
Correct all errors in the sentence.
By next Friday, the team will has took the final test and finish the entire unit.
By next Friday, the team will have taken the final test and will have finished the entire unit.
Future perfect structure: will have + past participle
take → taken (irregular past participle)
Both verbs must stay in future perfect for tense consistency.
Either/Neither Structure
Neither the players nor the coach brought ___ equipment.
his or her
(Closest subject = coach = singular)
Mixed Types
Identify ALL adjective types in this sentence:
These two Italian restaurants serve spicy seafood dishes.
These = Demonstrative
two = Quantitative adjective
Italian = Proper
spicy = Common
seafood = Common noun
Prepositional Phrases Detectives
Identify both phrases and their function:
The students in the front row listened with great attention.
in the front row = adjective (modifies students)
with great attention = adverb (modifies listened)
The Comma Master
Add all necessary commas:
Although it was raining we decided to continue the game however the field was slippery and dangerous so the coach who was worried about injuries stopped the match.
Although it was raining, we decided to continue the game; however, the field was slippery and dangerous, so the coach, who was worried about injuries, stopped the match.